Locomotive-crane sander



T. H. COCHRANE. LOCOMOTIVE CRANE SANDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY24, I919. 1,340,01 6. Patented May 11,1920.

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( APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1919.

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LQCOMOTIYE-CRANE SANDER.

specification of Letters Iatent Patented May 11, 1920.

Application filed July 24, 1919. Serial n 312,953.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Coon- KANE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson andState of New J ersey, have invented anew and Improved Locomotive-Crane Sander, of whichcthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to railroad track sander, and more particularly to a track sander device foruse on locomotive cranes.

An object of the invention is to provide a track sander device which is readily attachable to a locomotive crane of present day use.

It is a purpose to provide the design of a railway track sanding device which will adequately function on a locomotive. crane to the same effect and for the same purpose as the sanding device now applied to Ordinary locomotives.

Heretoforeit has been difficult to provide a railway crane witha track sanding device for the reason that a locomotive crane comprises a turn-table upon which the crane machinery and other parts are mounted. It has been somewhat diflicult to provide a sander device on the turn-table because the turn-table of the crane operates from many difierent angles, and'the mechanical exigencies are such that thecsander mechanism cannot be mounted beneath the turn-table of'the crane or on the stationary frame of the car carrying the crane.

This invention provides the necessary mechanical design for effecting the aforesaid purpose and for supplying a mechanism which may be installed on the turn-tableof the crane and on the'frame of the car, and be under the direct control of the locomotive crane engineer.

With the above principal object in view andothers, the invention-has relation to the several locomotive crane sander designs as set forthin the claims appended hereto, described in the following specification, and portrayed in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a conventional type locomotive crane in side elevation, and illustrates in a general way a crane upon which the sandermechanism is installed.

Fig 2 illustrates a diagrammatical plan view presented todiselose the general organization of partsotthe invention.

1 Fig. 3 illustrates a fragmentary detailed view of parts of the sander mechanism, with some parts thereof shown in sectional views. Fig. a discloses a valve depressor member employed'to operate a main'sander valve.

Fig. 5 illustrates a vertical sectional view through the king-pin or center of rotation ofthe locomotive crane turn-table.

Fig. 6 illustrates a manually controlled device used by the engineer for sanding the tracks. i

The Fig. 3 illustrates a pneumatic control mechanism employed by the engineer for sanding the track; while the Fig. 6 illustrates a manually controlled device for effecting the same purpose.

A sander mechanism, such as here described, employs an air reservoir connected to the main crane air line of the air brake system as now used on practically all railroad and train equipment. Pipe connections joined with the air reservoir are provided with valves to control a pneumatic motor for opening an air'sande'r valve to eject sand upon the track from a sand box. The present invention also discloses a man ually operated device to supplant the pneumatic motor.

Referring now more particularly tothe drawings, the numeral 7' designates the 1000- motive framewhich is carried over-the car trucks 8. The frame 7 is equipped with a platform 9 upon which is mounted a suitable circular track-to rotatively carrvthe locomotive crane and turn-table. The locomotive crane primarily consists of a turntable 1O which mounts the boiler'house and engineers cab. The usual form'ot crane 12 is provided and accessory parts such as cable, sheaves, and hoisting mechanism -are mounted on the turn-table 10.

The usual gearedtransmission is employed to drive the locomotive crane along the ,railroad track and consists of the drive pinion 13 and gears 14 which transmit power to the trucks of the carmounting thewtrame The turn-table 10 is usually centeredby a king- 1 pin 15, the king-pin acting to confine the frame 10 over the trackand rollers 16. The king-pin 15 is usually drilled through the center to provide a hole therethrough which accommodates an air pipe 17. This airipipe 7 17 connects with a. pipe 18, which in turn connects with a main reservolr 19. The main air reservoir 19 is installed on the turnpresent use. combine wlth parts of the air brake system table-10 and is employed to furnish air to the brake system of the locomotive. A

brake valve 20 is included in the pipe 18 and conveniently positioned within the engineers cab to enable him to apply the brakes to the locomotive. Below the turntable the pipe 17 connects with a pipe 22' on the car frame 7 V .The above description presents a resumeof a locomotive crane of standard design in Since parts of this invention of the above described locomotive crane, it is thought advisable to present the above description in order that a comprehensible understanding of my invention may be gained. A description will now be given, in the following specification of my track sander attachment for use onlocomoti've cranes An air sander reservoir 27 is connected to the pipe 24, and a check valve 28 is in terposed between the air sander reservoir and the pipe 24 This check valve is shown in theFigs. 2 and 3, and is designed to permit air to enter the air sander reservoir but will restrain the air from discharging back into the pipe 24. The air sander reservoir has connected therewith a pipe line 29 which connects with sander valve 30 of the sander boxes 31. It is-usual to provide one sand box 31 for each rail of the track to be sanded and each sand box is disposed over each rail and attached to the structure of the frame 7 Each sand box is provided with a depending nozzle 32 which transmits sand from the valve 30 tothe rails of the track. The lower portionof each nozzle 32 is positioned to discharge the. sand directly under the wheels on the track.

An air'release valve 33 is connected in each branch of the pipe line 29. Each valve consists of a valve stem with a head 34. Means are provided for opening either one or both valves 33 in order to admit air passage from the reservoir 27 through the sander valve 30 to eject sand from the box 31 to the track. Underneath the turn-table 10 are suspended valve depressor plates 36 arranged concentric with the king-pin 15 of the 10- comotive crane. A pair of valve depressors are suspended on. hangers 37 which have their upper ends pivotally connected with the frame work of the turn-table 10 and the lower; ends thereof pivotally con- 'nected with the valve depressor plates. A

number of coil springs 38 connect with the valve depressor and the frame to normally support the valve depressor in spaced relation from the valve head 34. A link '39 pivotally connects ,withfleach depressor plate 36 and with a bell crank 40. A pneumatic motor 41 connects with the bell crank 40 and acts to thrust the depressor plate downwardly against head of the valve to permit air pressure to pass through the pipe line 29 'to act upon the sander valve 30. A pneumatic motor is employed foroperating each valve depressor plate. An air pipe 42 con nects each pneumatic motorwith the air brake pipe line 18, and a valve 43 is included in each pipe 42 and accessivelylocated within the engineers cab in order that he may open either one or both valves 43 at will. V

When the engineer opens one' or both of the valves '43 air flows from the air brake pipe 18 to eitherone or both of the pneumatic motors. The pneumatic motors function to depress the plates 36 downwardly wh ch opens the valves 33 and admits the air stored under pressure to flowfrom. the air sander reservoir 27 through the sander valves 30 which ejects sand upon the rails under the locomotive drive wheels. l Vhen the valve 43 is turned back to normal position the motor 41 and springs 38 act to lift the valve depressors 36- out of engagement with the valve 34 and thus the sanding of the track is discontinued. The locomotive crane turn-table 10 may revolve at will about the king-pin center, yet the track can be sanded from any position of the locomotive crane since the concentric plates 36 are at all times disposed over the valves 33. The valve depressors 36 have a peripheral length of about equal to the practical range of rotation of the crane.

Fig. 6 discloses a manually operated device whereby the engineer may displace a lever 45 back and forth to actuate a link 46 to move a cross arm 47. The cross arm 47 is connected with the valve depressors 36 through hangers 37 in a manner similar to the above described design. This apparatus provides a manually operated means which may displace the pneumatic control means'where it becomes more practicalto employ the lastly described device.

A locomotive crane equipped with an adequate track sanding device works more effectively in clearing tracks and performing other work incident to railroad activities. It often happens that locomotive cranes are used in lifting wrecked cars or locomotives from embankments and from what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A track sanding system as applied to the turn-table of a locomotive crane, comprising in combination; an air sander reservoir connected with any appropriate air supply, sand boxes, a pipe connecting the 'air sanding reservoir with the sand boxes,

a valve included in the pipe, and means associated with the turn-table for opening the valve to sand a track from the turn-table, throughout any rotated position of the turntable.

2. A track sanding system as applied to the turn-table of a locomotive crane, comprising in combination; an air sander reservoir connected with any appropriate air supply, sand boxes, a pipe connecting the air sanding reservoir with the sand boxes, a valve included in the pipe, and means associated with the turn-table for opening the valve, the herein described mechanism operable throughout any rotated position of the turn-table.

3. A locomotive sander mounted on the frame and on'the turn-table of a locomotive crane, said sander comprising in combination; a pair of valve actuating members mounted on the locomotive crane concentric with the rotating center of the turn-table, means for operating the valve actuating members, an air pressure reservoir, a sand box, pipe connections joining the sand box and air reservoir, and a valve included in the pipe to transmit air from the reservoir to the sand box to eject sand therefrom for sanding the track from any rotated position of the turn-table.

i. A track sanding mechanism for locomotive cranes, comprising in combination; valve depressors, a pneumatic motor associated therewith to actuate said depressors, air supply means for the pneumatic motor, a sand box arranged to eject sand upon the track, an air sander reservoir, a pipe connecting the air sander reservoir with the sand box, and avalve included in the pipe and disposed beneath the valve depressor and adapted to be opened by said depressor for admitting air pressure to the sand box.

5. A locomotive crane sander designed for installation on the turn-table and car frame of said locomotive, comprising in combination; track sanding means installed on the locomotive frame, and mechanism mounted on the turn-table to govern the track sander means from any rotated position of the turntable.

6. A locomotive sander designed for installation on the turn-table of a locomotive crane and on the frame of the locomotive truck, comprising in combination; track sander means installed on the locomotive truck frame, and a device installed on the turn-table for controlling the track sander means in order that an engineer may sand the track from the turn-table regardless of any rotated position of said turn-table.

T. A track sander for a locomotive crane, and adapted to be installed on the locomotive truck frame, and on the turn-table of said locomotive crane, comprising in combination; an air brake system for locomotives, consisting of an auxiliary reservoir, and a brake cylinder, a pipe connecting the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder; an air sander reservoir connecting with the pipe, sand boxes mounted on the locomotive truck frame, an air pipe connecting the air sander reservoir with each sanding box, an air valve included in the air pipe for regulating the flow of air to each sand box, and means associated with the turn-table of the locomotive crane for opening either one or both of the valves.

8. A sander for locomotive cranes where the crane is carried on a turn table upon the locomotive frame, comprising, in combination a sand box, an air reservoir, a pipe connecting the sand box and air reservoir, a valve included in the pipe to govern the flow of air to the sand box, a valve operating mechanism associated with the turn table for opening the valve from any relative working position of the turn table, and means for moving the valve operating mechanism in order to sand the track irrespective of the rotated position of the turntable.

THOMAS H. COCHRANE. 

